Nintendo is about to let you buy a game for someone else straight from the eShop. Nintendo eShop gifting is set to go live on November 17, after a system update that landed on November 9 quietly laid the groundwork on both Switch and Switch 2.
The catch: you can only send gifts to people in your own Nintendo Account family group. Here’s what we know, what we don’t, and how to get ready.
Quick facts first, so you can skim.
- System update 23.5.0 arrived November 9 for Switch and Switch 2.
- Gifting itself switches on with a separate eShop update, reportedly on November 17.
- Recipients must be in the same Nintendo Account family group as the sender.
- DLC and upgrade packs can be gifted, though some products may not be eligible.
Nothing here needs action today, but the family-group part is worth checking before the holidays.
When does Nintendo eShop gifting actually start?
According to Tech Insider, the eShop feature arrives on November 17, a week after the firmware. Update 23.5.0 only prepares the consoles. As Time News reports, the update itself doesn’t turn gifting on.
So if you install 23.5.0 and see no gift option, nothing is broken. Check again after the 17th.
The firmware also does a couple of smaller things. Switch 2 owners can now set up accessibility options during first-time setup, and Portuguese (Portugal) was added to text-to-speech and GameChat’s text-to-speech conversion.
How gifting works, step by step
Based on early reports from Time News, the flow looks simple. Expect the exact wording to shift once it’s live.
- Open a product page in the eShop and tick the “Give as a Gift” checkbox.
- Pick a recipient from your family group list.
- Choose a digital gift-wrap color and the linked console that should receive it.
The gift then shows up on the recipient’s HOME Menu. They accept it and play, with no payment details and no download code to type in.
That last part is the real win. Today, gifting a digital game usually means an eShop card and a handful of awkward steps.
What you can’t do with eShop gifting
The limits matter more than the feature, so here they are side by side.
| Question | What’s been reported |
|---|---|
| Who can receive a gift? | Only members of your Nintendo Account family group, such as a child. |
| Can supervised accounts send gifts? | No. Supervised accounts can’t send them. |
| Is there a purchase cap? | Yes, gift purchases are limited per time period. No number has been shared. |
| Can I gift DLC or upgrade packs? | Yes, though some products may not be eligible. |
| Any price limits or regional rules? | Not stated in the reports we found. |
Treat the missing details as open questions, not good news. Nintendo hasn’t published the cap, so don’t plan a big gift spree around it.
Get your family group ready now
The one thing you can do today is check that the person you want to gift is actually in your family group. If they aren’t, you’ll hit a wall on launch day.
Family groups are managed through your Nintendo Account. If you’ve never set one up, do it before the holiday rush so it isn’t a last-minute scramble.
One more detail: per the reports, supervised accounts can’t send gifts. If you’ve been juggling parental settings elsewhere, our guide to iOS 27 Screen Time parental controls covers the phone side of the same job.
Why this is a bigger deal than it sounds
Digital gifting hasn’t been offered in a Nintendo store since the Wii Shop Channel closed in January 2019, per Time News. That’s nearly eight years.
In the meantime, most players have bought games digitally and had no clean way to send one. Big releases are also getting bigger, and a gift that skips the download-code step saves a parent a lot of hassle. If you’re stocking up on a heavy title, our post on the GTA 6 preload size is a reminder of how much storage space modern games can take.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I gift a game to a friend on Switch 2?
Not unless they’re in your Nintendo Account family group. Reports say gifting is limited to a single family group.
Do I need to update my console to use eShop gifting?
Yes, install system update 23.5.0 first. The gifting feature then turns on with a separate eShop update, reportedly on November 17.
Can I gift DLC on the Nintendo eShop?
Yes, DLC and upgrade packs can be gifted, according to reports. Some products may not be eligible, so check the product page for the gift checkbox.
Does the person receiving the gift need to pay anything?
No. The gift appears on their HOME Menu, and they can accept and play without entering payment details or a download code.
Here’s our take: gifting is a nice, overdue feature, but the family-group rule makes it a parent-to-kid tool more than a general present for friends. If that’s you, set up the group this week and update the console. If you wanted to surprise a friend, keep using an eShop card for now.
Leave a Reply